Ecuador Declares National Holiday After Historic World Cup Victory

Following Ecuador's surprising 2-1 victory over Germany, President Daniel Noboa declared a national holiday on Friday to celebrate the national football team's qualification for the World Cup knockout rounds.

In a post on the social platform X, Noboa expressed gratitude to the players and coach, acknowledging the challenges they faced, including criticism and insults, and praised their ability to overcome difficulties and bring immense joy to the entire country. He confirmed that the next day would be a holiday.

Ecuador entered their final Group E match on Thursday needing a win after a prior loss to Ivory Coast and a draw with Curaçao. Despite conceding an early goal against Germany, the Ecuadorian team rallied to secure the victory, sparking celebrations among fans at the packed New York New Jersey stadium.

Germany had already secured their place in the knockout stage as group leaders, while Ivory Coast finished second following a 2-0 win over Curaçao.

Ecuador advanced as one of the eight best third-placed teams, marking only their second time reaching the World Cup knockout phase. Their previous appearance was in 2006 in Germany, where they reached the round of 16 before losing 1-0 to England.